Christchurch is home to the most stressed people in the country, a survey has found.

More than 2000 New Zealanders took part in a health and wellbeing survey by Southern Cross Health Society that found 50 per cent of participants felt they worked too much.

Women, people under 40 and those with children were more likely to be stressed, it found.

Stress levels were higher in Christchurch with 34 per cent of people saying they were stressed. In Dunedin 26 per cent of people were stressed while 33 per cent of Aucklanders and 28 per cent of Wellingtonians reported stress.

When asked to compare stress levels to one year ago, almost 40 per cent of Cantabrians felt more stressed while 41 per cent felt there had been no change in their stress levels.

People earning between $70,000 and $100,000 a year were most likely to feel their work-life balance was skewed in work's favour.

Southern Cross Health Society chief executive Peter Tynan said for those lacking balance, the holiday period could provide some welcome breathing space to examine the contributing factors.

"Often life is so busy, we just have to keep going. A break can be a great time to get some perspective, make plans and strategise for how to get that balance right," he said.